Now that you've brought your new friend home, it's time for the fun part -- and the hard part! This is your chance to really prove to your parents, yourself, and your pet that you're a responsible guardian. It's a lot to live up to, but don't worry-you can do it! All you need to know is what your pet's needs are, then meet them. Basically, most pets rely on us for:

Your pet needs a place to call home -- whether that's a tank, cage, or doghouse.

If your dog or cat spends a lot of time outdoors, make sure shelter is available at all times. Shelter keeps pets protected from cold, wind, and rain in the winter and from the harsh hot sun in the summer.

Even if your pet spends most of the day outdoors, he should sleep indoors at night. This will protect him from cars, bad weather, and animals such as coyotes that will attack pets.

When it comes to shelter, remember that animals who are treated like part of the family are better-adjusted and will be more closely bonded to you. And after all, your pet IS part of your family, right?

All animals need a place where they can go to the bathroom. Unless you're able to train them to use the toilet, cats need a litter box, gerbils need a cage, and dogs need to go outside or in a special lined area.

Make sure you create a safe place for your pet's bathroom needs and -- this is REALLY important -- clean it regularly! After all, think about how gross it is to use a toilet that doesn't flush.

If you have a dog and live in an apartment with no yard, you need to make sure your dog is walked often. If he goes in a public place, be sure to pick it up and dump it in a trashcan.

Dogs need plenty of exercise. Physical activity keeps them healthy, happy, and fit. Make sure you walk, run, hike, or play fetch with your dog every day. Not only is exercise good for your pup, but it's good for you, too!

Cats, especially if they live indoors, also love some quality playtime with you. This is a chance to have fun and get creative with cool cat toys.

Rodents like hamsters and gerbils will thank you for putting an exercise wheel in their cage to make life a little more interesting.

Yes, Bowzer is your buddy, but you need to be his boss! If you don't set up rules for him to follow, he may act aggressively and out of control. You don't want your dog dashing into oncoming traffic, jumping on little kids, or growling at your neighbors, right? So you need to set up rules for him to follow and help him follow them.

You can do this in a very gentle manner without raising your voice or becoming mean. Work with your parents to determine the rules of the house. If there's a "no dogs on the sofa" policy, don't let Spot on the couch the minute your parents leave the room. It's best when all of you work together to teach your new family member how to behave.

An obedience class is a great way to learn how to speak a dog's language and teach her the rules of your household. But don't expect her to be perfect -- there will be accidents! Just be patient and loving, and eventually the hard work will pay off.

§On what day of creation did God create the animal you cared for.[edit]

And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” And there was evening, and there was morning —the fifth day.

And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground. ” Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food. ” And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning —the sixth day.